


The Scars No One Sees

by tatteredspider



Series: Sparky and The Bull [5]
Category: Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: Scars, mention of cutting, mention of non-con
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-07-17
Updated: 2015-07-17
Packaged: 2018-04-09 19:48:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,205
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4361942
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tatteredspider/pseuds/tatteredspider
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>She's putting out all the signals, but why is Kell saying no to The Iron Bull?</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Scars No One Sees

**Author's Note:**

> Day 3 of the 30 Day RP Challenge.
> 
> 3\. Name one scar that you character has and how they got it. If they don't have any is there a reason?
> 
> Oh, she's got scars all right! I can't wait to get to some of the fluffier questions...

Bull was sitting on her bed. Why was Bull sitting on her bed. _Maker above! Bull! BED!_

“So, listen. I got the hints,” he started. “I get what you're saying. You want to ride the bull.” He stood and began approaching Kell slowly, hands out so as not to frighten. “Can't say I blame you. But I'm not sure you know what you're asking. Not sure you're ready for it.”

_Why? Because you're big and solid and rough? I've probably been taken by rougher._ “Oh, I'm ready for it,” she answered with a grin that she wasn't sure she really felt.

He was closer now, almost too close. “See you say that, but...you  _really_ don't know what that means.”

So close now, she could feel the heat of him surrounding her. Comforting even as it was frightening. She wanted him. So badly she wanted him and his strength and his caring. But to do this she'd have to be...No. She could do this.

“So why don't you show me?”

Before she quite knew what was happening he had her wrists in his hand, gentle yet firm, and was holding them up above her head. She gasped, a mix of surprise and fear. “Last chance,” he rumbled.

_No. Nononono_ ”nonononono” the litanny was out of her mouth before she could stop it. Bull stared for the merest fraction of an instant before he released her wrists, catching Kell in his arms when her knees collapsed and she began to slide to the floor. “I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. I can't. I thought I could but I can't. I can't.”

“Shhhh. It's all right. I've got you,” Bull whispered, holding her gently and rocking her in his arms like a child. They stayed like that for a time, Bull rocking her while Kell cried softly into his chest. Eventually she cried herself to sleep and he picked her up, cradling her to him until he could place her gently on her bed and tuck her in. 

He left her there to sleep, angry now that someone, somewhere had fucked her up so badly that she would collapse at the idea of being touched like that. He needed to hit something, anything, so he headed for the training yard, hoping that someone would be there to spar with.

Then he'd go find Leliana.

  
  


“The Inquisitor is down!” Dorian screamed, rushing to her side.

_NO!_ Bull screamed in his mind, lashing out at the Behemoth before him. Thankfully, the Boss' Winter's Grasp spell that she managed to hit it with moments before Dorian's cry made it wonderfully brittle. One good hit and their last opponent was down and gone, allowing him to rush to help the mage and Varric. Dorain was currently divesting her of her coat while the dwarf rummaged through his pack for healing potions. 

“What can I do?” he asked.  _Besides stand here and watch. I can't stand not doing anything!_

“Get behind her and lift her torso to a forty-five degree angle. I may need access to her back,” Dorian replied, starting on her tunic. When the toggles had been undone and the sides pulled back, the trio gasped. The stab wound itself was relatively minor, small just below the right breast. It might have nicked a lung but that's it. No, she was most likely out because she had been severely drained of her mana by the fight and the shock sent her over. No, what they all gasped at were the scars. One in particular.

Carved into her skin, amid a plethora of other deep and jaggled lines just above her waistline, was the word 'WHORE'. They stared, they couldn't help it, and Varric's eyes even began to tear up before Dorian straightened his spine and recomposed himself. “All right, Bull, keep her steady. She may wake before I'm done and it wouldn't do for her to thrash. Varric, when I tell you to, get her to swallow as much of that potion as you can get into her throat, all right? Good!”

Bull had to focus, to remain calm and not fly into a rage.  _Someone had...they had...No! Concentrate! Stay calm. She needs you now._

_But I ever find out who did that, they are a dead man._

  
  


  
  


“So I guess you saw them, huh?”

Bull turned on his bar stool, tankard dwarfed in his hand, to find Kellina standing beside him. He'd been trying to drink away the sight of her scars for hours now, to no avail. Dorian had been with him for a while but there was no way the little 'Vint could match him cup for cup and Krem had dragged the man off to his bed some time ago.

He turned back to his brew, wishing he had some real Qunari liquor around. This human crap was like the water they used to clean out the barrels. “Yeah. I saw them. I kinda understand why you and I...”

“Can I sit?” she asked, and he made a non-commital motion towards another stool. They sat together for a bit, as the tension eased from Bull's shoulders. Then she began. “I told you before how young I was when I went to the Tower.”

“Yeah. Like four, right?”

Kell smiled softly. Oh, how he loved that smile. “Yes. I was an early bloomer when it came to magic. When it came to most things actually. The Templars begant to notice when I was around twelve or so.”

“You don't have to tell me, Boss,” Bull began to protest. “It's okay.”

“No. I need you to hear. I need to tell...someone. And you're the one I trust. So, yeah. “ She took a deep breath and continued. “Around twelve. A few of them started with teasing. About how I looked or talked, what they wanted to do to me. I was scared and a kid, so when another Templar started treating me differently, like I mattered, I gravitated to him. He was nice to me. Courteous. He treated me like a person, not a mage.

So one day he says he needs to see me, alone. I'm going on fourteen by now. All legs and hormones, so I say yes and follow him into a deserted corridor that's almost never used and he leads me into a room at the end. And there's six other Templars. I don't have a chance. They Smite and then Silence me, just for good measure. String me up to the ceiling. They...well, you can guess what they did. The word they carved in was their final goodbye. I was left hanging there for hours before someone found me.

The First Enchanter wanted me healed right away but the Knight-Commander forbid it. Said that I must have asked for it and that I should wear my shame.”

Bull reached out and gently touched Kell's fingers where they gripped the bar. “I will search out these men and kill them for you, _Kadan_. You have but to ask.”

Kell smiled up at him, her eyes bright and sparkling the way he loved. “It's all right, Bull. There's no need. They're all dead already.”

“Oh?”

She grinned. “They were at the Conclave.”

 

**Author's Note:**

> Pics of Kell and Bull can be found on my Tumblr (http://www.tatteredpiderweb.tumblr.com)


End file.
